Book of Gardens 



IRIS 



17 



FOR 



ALL 



PLACES 



From a Bewildering Array of the Bearded, Beardless and Japanese Types Almost 

 Any Selection Works The Miracle of Beauty 



GROWING nothing but iris is one of the 

 great garden temptations that flower- 

 lovers have to resist. So hardy is this group, 

 so prolific in bloom, so grateful for a little at- 

 tention that one is apt to overload on iris. And 

 yet, one can never have too much of them. 

 Perhaps the only way to resist this temptation 

 is to give in to it ! 



Save for a few types, the iris appreciates a 

 fairly dry, sunny spot. Its rhyzomes, lying 

 close to the surface or partly through it, ap- 

 preciate the sun on their backs. As the iris 

 multiplies rapidly it should be divided every 

 third year, preferably in the autumn. Do not 

 crowd it too closely in the border, and if you 

 would have it do its best, see that it receives 

 abundant sunlight. These simple requests 

 seem about all the iris has to make. The gar- 

 dener has merely to select colors and types to 

 suit her own particular preferences. 



The range from which she can choose is al- 

 most as bewildering as the variety of peonies. 

 Pick up the nearest catalog to hand. Of new 

 t)'pes — 82. The Germanica number 187, with 

 35 varied species and intermediates. There 

 are 27 of the dwarf bearded and 24 of the 

 beardless type, with 46 Japanese iris. Over 

 400 distinct kinds in one catalog, each with an 

 individual beauty. How then is the beginning 



gardener to make her selection wisely, with an 

 tye, to sufficient variety? 



First locate the place or spaces that can Ix^ 

 given to iris. Then visualize the colors that 

 are desired. After that, except one be special- 

 izing in iris, there is nothing to do but wade in 

 blindly and choose according to color, height 

 and general family grouping. 



The first great family is the Germanica, un- 

 der which are classed many subdivisions. They 

 Ijloom in May, range in color from rich yel- 

 lows, soft blues, purples, clarets and bronzes 

 to pure white, with every possible combination 

 of these colors. Many are fragrant, and all 

 have prominent beards. They range in size, 

 but for general purposes the tall bearded sorts 

 give the widest range for choice. The dwarf 

 bearded or Pumila species are best used in the 

 front of taller plantings. They flower from 

 the end of March to the end of May, when the 

 taller varieties take up the iris story and carry 

 it into the summer. 



The second great family is the beardless. 

 Under this group are classed the moisture- 

 loving types, two of which, the water flag and 

 European yellow flag, can be growTi partiall}" 

 in water. This class appreciates a soil kept 

 moist by constant cultivation and containing 

 abundant richness. 



Finally there is the Japanese or Iris Kaemp- 

 feri, a type that deserves even more attention 

 than it is getting today. Their flowers are 

 often 10" across and borne on stalks 3' high. 

 They also should be fall planted, given a mel- 

 low soil, plenty of moisture during the flower- 

 ing period and a dry dust mulch to prevent too 

 rapid evaporation. They are at their best in 

 a sunny situation, and should not be frequently 

 disturbed. 



For a general collection of the Germanica 

 types, one that gives a good variety of colors, 

 the beginner couldn't go wrong on: Wyomis- 

 sing, a creamy white suffused with soft rose; 

 Fro, a deep gold; Lohengrin, pink; Princess 

 Victoria Louise, primrose yellow and reddish 

 purple; Mithras, a light yellow and wine red: 

 Her Majesty, rose pink and bright crimson: 

 Pfanenauge, olive gold and bluish plum: 

 Rhein Nixe, white and violet blue; Spectabilis, 

 purple; Bridesmaid, lavender and white; and 

 Dr. Bernice, coppery bronze and velvet crimson. 



In the Japanese iris class space permits the 

 selection of onl)' six, but these are well worth 

 trying: Crane's Feathers, white; Mandarin, 

 lavender and white; Rosy Dawn, purplish 

 rose; Starrj' Heavens, dark blue w^ith yellow 

 blotches; Geisha, soft purplish rose finely 

 veined; White Waterfall, double white. 



Iris can either stand alone or be given a shrubbery background. They appreciate a warm spot, fairly dry, except the Japanese tyj>es 

 which prefer moisture, and the water flag and European yellow flag, which can be planted in water 



